Solving distant analogies reduces belief-based responding in transitive inference

ABSTRACT

Previous research demonstrated that relational processing in transitive inference problems can be disrupted by belief-based content. Given the premises, The horse is larger than the goat, and The goat is larger than the elephant, accepting the valid conclusion, The horse is larger than the elephant suggests use of relational processing whereas accepting the invalid conclusion The elephant is larger than the horse indicates belief-based responding. This research examined whether solving analogies influenced participants’ reliance on belief-based or relational processing. Participants generated solutions to either distant analogies (e.g. nose:scent::antenna: ______) or near analogies (e.g. nose:scent::tongue:______) before evaluating the conclusions of transitive inference problems that were valid (V) or invalid (I) and believable (B), unbelievable (U) or neutral (N). Solving distant analogies eliminated belief-based responding (possibly reflecting improved inhibitory control) and facilitated relational responding on VU problems.     

Therapy for the Dead: Working Clinically with Jung's Black Books and The Red Book

With the 2020 publication of the facsimile edition of The Black Books, we have an opportunity to study the layers of C. G. Jung's creative writing process for the first time. In this paper, I explore Jung's practice of active imagination in relation to his fantasy dialogues with the dead during two specific episodes in 1914 and 1916. I discuss Jung's concept of the collective unconscious corresponding to the “mythic land of the dead” and I show how this idea develops in The Black Books and The Red Book, or Liber Novus, culminating in Septem Sermones ad Mortuos. I describe my work with a patient, who, in an early session, said she felt like the "living dead". I recount how the patient's experience of her own internal world began to change as we were able to wonder about the inner world of the patient's late mother and, together, to imagine her mother's lament. I consider the use of imagination when working with the concept of "therapy for the dead" (Hillman & Shamdasani, 2013, p. 164) in the context of intergenerational trauma.     

Environmental enrichment results in cortical and subcortical changes in levels of synaptophysin and PSD-95 proteins

Experience-dependent plasticity is thought to involve selective change in pre-existing brain circuits, involving synaptic plasticity. One model for looking at experience-dependent plasticity is environmental enrichment (EE), where animals are exposed to a complex novel environment. Previous studies using electron microscopy showed that EE resulted in synaptic plasticity in the visual cortex and hippocampus. However, the areas in the brain that have been examined following EE have been limited. The present study quantified potential synaptic plasticity throughout the brains of C57BL/6 mice using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for two synaptic proteins, synaptophysin and PSD-95. EE resulted in increased synaptophysin and PSD-95 levels through major brain regions, including anterior and posterior areas of the forebrain, hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus. However, no changes in synaptophysin were detected in the cerebellum. These results demonstrate that EE results in an increase in levels of both pre- and post-synaptic proteins in multiple regions of the brain, and it is possible that such changes represent the underlying synaptic plasticity occurring in EE.     

The relative contributions of subjective and objective measures of body shape and size to body image and disordered eating in women

This research explored the relative contributions of subjective perceptions of body weight and body shape/proportion, as well as objective measures of body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) to disordered eating, exercise involvement, and body image. One hundred and fifty-eight female university students completed questionnaires and provided body measurements for this study. Although an interaction between BMI and WHR was found for some measures (i.e., Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire total and subscale scores), results indicated that BMI was consistently the better objective predictor of disordered eating and body image. Subjective perceptions of body weight and, to a lesser extent, body shape, were found to account for the greatest proportion of variance in the dependent measures (disordered eating, body esteem, and body dissatisfaction). Overall, these results offer more support for sociocultural theories emphasizing the importance of thinness for women, than evolutionary theories emphasizing the role of WHR.     

Timing at the Start of Associative Learning

Some theories of associative learning imply that time plays a fundamental role in the acquisition process. Consistent with these theories, this paper presents evidence that the time from the onset of a conditioned stimulus (CS) until presentation of the unconditioned stimulus (US) is learned very rapidly at the start of training. We report two autoshaping studies and a study on aversive conditioning in goldfish in which we examine timing at the start of conditioning. We also review data from a number of other conditioning preparations, including fear-potentiated startle, appetitive conditioning in rats, and eyeblink conditioning in rabbits, that report conditioned response (CR) timing early in training. Acquisition speed and the very first expressions of conditioned responding often show sensitivity to the time of US presentation. In instances where temporal control is slowly expressed, it is likely due to performance factors, not to slow learning about time. In fact, the learning about time may be a necessary condition for associative learning.     

No Time of Day Modulation or Time Stamp on Multiple Memory Tasks in Rats

Various demonstrations of “time stamp” effects in the animal learning literature have reinforced the idea that circadian information is encoded as part of a combined internal/external representation of context and that this contextual information is utilized for complex retrieval processes supporting memory. The goal of the present series of experiments is to assess this idea by manipulating training/testing circadian times on a battery of learning and memory tasks commonly used in the rodent. The data obtained from five experiments using four different learning and memory paradigms provide no evidence for “time stamp” effects on place memory, context memory (aversive or appetitive), or S-R habit learning.     

Coaching

Zusammenfassung Coaching ist in Wirtschaftsunternehmen weit verbreitet. Angesichts der stetig steigenden Ver?nderungsgeschwindigkeit der Arbeits- und pers?nlichen Lebenswelten suchten zun?chst Führungskr?fte professionelle Coaches, die ihnen als vertraute Gespr?chspartner zur Seite standen. Coachingma?nahmen werden aber auch zunehmend von Politikern, Medienvertretern, Künstlern und Freiberuflern nachgefragt. Die derzeitigen Coachingkonzepte enthalten zumeist eine Kombination von allgemein-psychologischen, kognitiv-verhaltensorientierten, psychodynamischen und systemischen Techniken, modifiziert durch die Lebenserfahrung und Weltanschauung der Coaches. Es existiert eine Vielzahl eklektischer Praktiken, die theoretisch nicht koh?rent begründet und wissenschaftlich nicht verl?sslich evaluiert sind. Da Coaching in der Praxis h?ufig eine Form von Psychohygiene und Psychotherapie für Gesunde darstellt, ist es nahe liegend die Ergebnisse psychotherapeutischer Theoriebildung, Praxiserfahrung und Forschung als Grundlage des Coaching zu nutzen. Drei wissenschaftlich fundierte Aspekte des Coaching lassen sich herausstellen: Die hilfreiche Beziehung, kognitiv-verhaltensorientiertes Training und psychodynamisches Verstehen. Darüber hinaus ist es viel versprechend die Methoden der Psychotherapieforschung zur Untersuchung von Ergebnis und Prozess von Coachingma?nahmen anzuwenden.      

试论《周易》的原初意义与现代意义

文章首先阐述了考察《周易》价值的方法,然后运用这一方法全面考察了《周易》的原初意义与现代意义。作者认为,《周易》的产生标志着中华民族抽象思维能力的关键性跃迁;《周易》的内容折射着当时的自然、社会和人文状况,记载着古代先民对于当时复杂的自然、社会和人生问题的特别关注与初步思考;《周易》的人生智慧和行为原则,反映着趋利避害和预见未来的价值取向;《周易》的思维方式汇集着当时的思维工具和认识方法,表达着最初的终极关怀和哲学意识。而《周易》所提供的始源性材料,有助于我们从根源性上来把握中华文化及其当代特点;易学史的演变与发展则为我们更好地把握历史文化发展进程提供了重要的思想资料;《周易》所表达的人生智慧和思维方式对于当今人类把握现实与面向未来也具有极为重要的启示和借鉴意义。     

生存结构与心灵境界——面向21世纪的中国哲学

中国哲学可视为一种“生命哲学”或“生存哲学”,它所关注的核心问题就是“生存结构”或“生命结构”,而这种生命结构本质上又体现为阴阳结构.阴阳结构或阴阳范畴,从其内容来看,其实也就是中国人的心灵结构,同时也是我们的心灵境界,体现了一种生命关怀或“生命忧患”意识;从其形式方面来看,则是一种“结构思维”方法。当今人类面临着许许多多紧迫的世界性、全球性问题,以《周易》哲学为代表的中国生命结构哲学或许能够给我们以相当的启示.答案就是;多元一体,共存互补。     

从帛书《易传》考察“文言”的实义

根据对帛书《易传》的考察,“文”的实义,是指外柔内刚的德性,而表现为谦德。这种意义的德性,称为“文德”,是就政治人格而言的德性。故“文言”是“‘文’之言”的意思,义为“有关为政者（或从政者）德性的言说”。